Improved paddle-wheel



shown.

UNITED STATES l PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN w. HARRIS, oF DURHAMVILLE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEVD PADDLE-WH EEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 24,300, dated .I une'7, 1859.

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. HARRIS, of Durhamville, in the county ofOneida and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Paddle-Wheels for Boats; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operationof the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part ofthis specification.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing paddle-wheels forboats in such a manner that the paddles may be folded laterally upon theframe and the frame-work projecting beyond the side of the boat beretracted or extended at pleasure while the boat is in motion, theobject being to prevent the contact of the wheel with passing objects orthe sides of canal-locks.

The construction and operation of my invention are as follows.

A is the main frame-work of the wheel, which is connected by the hub Bto the main shaft C.

D is an additional circular frame-work connected to the end of the shaftE. The shaft C is made hollow, and the shaft'E, being of smallerdiameter, is passed through it, and the larger furnishes a support forthe smaller.

The two frame-wheels A and Dv may be made of iron and having arms ofiron Iirmly connecting the rims with the hubs. In the larger wheel A areplaced the shafts F, the outer ends of which are sustained in boxes G onthe rim of the wheel and the inner end sustained in bearings in theedgeof the hub. These shafts revolve in the bearings at their ends. To theseshafts F are connected the paddles H by being firmly bolted throughtheir ends. The paddles are made of boileriron plates. The outer edgesof the paddles are cut circular, so that when closed or lying iatwiseupon the frame A they will conform to circle of the main rim. The inneredges of the paddles are connected to the rim of the lesser frame-wheelby pins I passing, as The lesser shaft E, passing through the main shaftC, is connected in the central part of the boat with convenientmachinery by which the engineer may force it outward or inward atpleasure while the boat is running or when stationary. This movement maybe made by hand-levers or by the power of the driving machinery. Theoperation is such that when the lesser frame -wheel is forced outward tothe full extent the paddles will stand in position to act upon the waterwhen the wheel is in motion, and when it is drawn inward the twoframe-wheels will be drawn together. The paddles will be closed upon theframe overlapping each other, at which time the wheel will projectbeyond the side of the boat no more than the thickness of the frame, orin case a recess be made vin the side of the boat equal at least to thethickness of the wheel,'there will then be no projection of any portionof the paddlewheel beyond the side of the boat. When the paddles areextended they will enter the water first at a point near the rim of thelarge frame-wheel, owing to the circular form of the outer edges,causing far less commotion inthe water than when the straight paddle isused.

The principal object gained by the inven tion is the closing orwithdrawing of the wheel from projecting beyond the sides of the vesselwhile passing other boats when approaching the shore or entering locks.It is also found that the peculiar form of the outer edges of thepaddles enables the boat to pass through sheet-ice which could nototherwise be broken by the wheel.

What I claim as my invention, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Constructing paddle-wheels for boats in such a manner that the paddlesmay be' folded laterally upon the frame and the wheel thereby withdrawnfrom projecting beyond the sides of the boat, or extended at pleasure,whether the boat be in motion or at rest, the paddles H being connectedto the frame-work A and D, substantially as described, and their outeredges of the form shown, the whole operatin g substantially as setforth.

JOHN W. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

R. F. STEVENS, J. C. K. FONAN.

